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Digress - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

To digress means to stray from the main topic in speech or writing. It often involves temporarily shifting focus to unrelated or tangential ideas before returning to the original subject.

digress

/daɪˈɡrɛs/ /daɪˈɡrɛs/

Definition:

To deviate from the main topic temporarily in speech or writing.

Synonyms:

Stray, wander, diverge, ramble, deviate

Part of Speech:

Verb

Antonyms:

Focus, stay, adhere

Common Collocations:

Digress from the point, tend to digress, briefly digress

Derivatives:

Digression, digressive, digressively

Usage Tips:

Use "digress" when someone strays from the main topic in conversation or writing.

Common Phrases:

To digress for a moment, if I may digress, let me not digress

Etymology:

From Latin "digressus," meaning "to step away" or "depart."

Examples:

  • 1. She tends to digress when telling long stories.
  • 2. Please don’t digress; stay on topic for clarity.
  • 3. He apologized after realizing he had begun to digress.
  • 4. The speaker would often digress into unrelated anecdotes.

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